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Wichita Wingnuts Game Notes - July 7th, 2013

July 7, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Wichita Wingnuts News Release


HINSON SETS WINS RECORD WITH SHUTOUT: The Wichita Wingnuts shutout the Amarillo Sox 7-0 in the opener of their four-game series on Saturday night. Ryan Hinson pitched a complete game, six-hit shutout to earn the win and became the Wingnuts' all-time leader in victories (27). Hinson did not allow a walk, struck out five, and retired the leadoff batter in all nine innings. It was Hinson's first career complete game shutout, and the first nine-inning shutout by a Wingnuts' starter since July 10th, 2011. Offensively, the Wingnuts collected 15 hits, including a three-RBI performance from Jake Kahaulelio. For a second straight game, eight different starters had at least one hit while all nine reached base at least once. Brent Clevlen had three hits and an RBI in the win. Ryan Khoury stole second base in the bottom of the second and became the Wingnuts' franchise leader in steals (47).

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE SOX: The Wingnuts are 19-11 all-time against the Amarillo Sox, including an 11-4 mark at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. The Sox are in their third season in the American Association. The Pensacola Pelicans moved operations to Amarillo following the 2010 season. The Amarillo Dillas were an independent team from 1994-2010, and won the final three championships in the United League. The Dillas also spent time in the Texas-Louisiana and Central Leagues. Bobby Brown enters his first season as manager of the Sox. Brown managed the Abilene Prairie Dogs in the North American League in 2012 and was a .300 hitter during a 10-year playing career. Former Wingnuts' outfielder David Peralta-who hit 332 with 70 RBI as a rookie in 2012-opened the season with Amarillo and was recently signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks' organization. The Sox' pitching staff is led by Jason Johnson, who pitched 11 seasons in the Major Leagues from 1997-2008 and was a teammate of Wingnuts' manager Kevin Hooper with the Detroit Tigers in 2005.

SERIES MATCHUP: The Wingnuts are 30-18 and lead the Gary SouthShore RailCats by 1.5 games in the Central Division. The Wingnuts lost three of four to the Grand Prairie AirHogs on the road. The Sox are 29-18 and lead the AirHogs by 1.5 games in the South Division. Amarillo just split a four- game series with the Can-Am League's Newark Bears. The Wingnuts are second in the American Association in hitting (.300), second in pitching (3.34), and tied for second in fielding (.979). Amarillo is first in the league in batting (.303), eighth in pitching (4.64), and 12th in defense (.963). The Wingnuts swept a three-game series from the Sox at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in late-May. Entering this series, the Sox had won 25 of their previous 32 games. The Sox have had winning streaks of eight and seven games during that stretch and have dropped back-to-back games only one time since May 31st .

TONIGHT'S STARTERS: The Wingnuts go with right-hander Justin Klipp who is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA in four starts and one relief outing since joining the Wingnuts in early-June. Klipp took a loss on Tuesday at Grand Prairie, allowing two earned runs on six hits over 7.0 IP. Klipp is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts at home this season. Klipp has allowed two or fewer earned runs in three of four starts and has allowed four or fewer earned runs in all of them. Klipp has walked exactly one batter in all four of his starts. Klipp has pitched at least 6.0 innings in three of four starts and has pitched at least 5.0 innings in all of them. Today is Klipp's first appearance against Amarillo.

Klipp was purchased from the United League's Edinburg Roadrunners on June 9th where he was 2-1 in three starts with a 1.24 ERA. Klipp had 36 strikeouts in just 21.1 IP while allowing only 18 hits. Klipp had a pair of 14-strikeout games while with Edinburg.

Klipp is a 28-year old true rookie who has recovered from a pair of back injuries. Klipp played college baseball at Cal State Fullerton from 2006-07, going 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA in 37.2 IP as a senior. Klipp was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 22nd round in 2007, and was also selected by the Texas Rangers in the 29th round out of Calabasas High School in Calabasas, CA.

The Sox go with right-hander Jason Mitchell who is 3-3 with a 4.58 ERA in eight starts and two relief outings. Mitchell took a loss last Tuesday vs.

Newark, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits in 8.0 IP. Mitchell is 2-0 with a 3.43 ERA on the road this season in three starts and one relief outing. Mitchell has allowed three or fewer earned runs in five of eight starts and has allowed more than four earned runs in just one of them. Mitchell has walked two or fewer batters in seven of eight starts and has walked three or fewer in all of them. Mitchell took a no-decision against the Wingnuts May 29th, allowing three earned runs in 3.0 IP. Wichita won the game 7-6.

Mitchell was 4-7 with three saves and a 4.65 ERA for the Kane County Cougars (Low-A, Kansas City) last season, striking out 82 in 100.2 IP. Mitchell is 14-14 with four saves and a 4.23 ERA in four professional seasons, averaging 7.1 strikeouts and 2.8 walks per nine innings. Mitchell has also averaged just 0.4 home runs per nine innings. Mitchell was drafted by the Royals in the 15th round in 2010 out of the University of Texas at Arlington.

HINSON BECOMES WINNINGEST WINGNUT: Ryan Hinson set a Wingnuts' franchise record with his 27th win on July 6th vs. Amarillo. Hinson threw the first complete game shutout of his career, allowing six hits and no walks with five strikeouts. Derek Blacksher (2009, 2011-12) held the previous record with 26 wins. Hinson surpassed Blacksher for the Wingnuts' career strikeouts record when he fanned five in a win vs. Gary SouthShore on June 19th .

KHOURY TIES TEAM RECORD: Wingnuts' shortstop Ryan Khoury set a franchise record with his 47th stolen base on July 6th vs. Amarillo. Josh Horn (2009-11) held the previous record with 46. Khoury also established a Wingnuts' single-season record with 37 stolen bases in 2012, surpassing current manager Kevin Hooper's mark of 34 set in 2008.

'J-ROD' APPROACHING MILESTONES: Wingnuts' DH John Rodriguez is nearing several significant milestones. The former World Series champion (St. Louis, 2006) has 1,498 base hits during his 17-year professional career and is just two shy of 1,500. Rodriguez is also just three RBI shy of 900 for his career. Rodriguez trails Josh Horn (2009-11) by 11 RBI for the Wingnuts' franchise record (125).

HINSON NAMED PITCHER OF THE MONTH: Wingnuts' left-hander Ryan Hinson has been named the American Association's Pitcher of the Month for June. Hinson was 5-1 with a 1.41 ERA in six starts last month. Hinson allowed two or fewer earned runs in all six of his outings, and logged at least 7.0 IP in five of them. One June 19th vs. Gary SouthShore, Hinson struck out five batters to become the Wingnuts' all-time leader in that category. In his following start on June 24th vs. Laredo, Hinson pitched 6.0 shutout innings to tie Derek Blacksher (2009, 2011-12) for the most wins in franchise history (26). Hinson becomes the first pitcher in team history to earn Pitcher of the Month honors. CJ Ziegler (June 2012) and Greg Porter (June 2009) have won Batter of the Month since the Wingnuts started play in 2008.

NIEVES STAYING HOT: Wingnuts' third baseman Abel Nieves leads the American Association in batting average (.379) and is 58 for 131 (.443) in his last 35 games with 30 runs scored, 12 doubles, and 17 walks. Nieves had a 19-game hitting streak from June 8th -26th (38 for 76, .500) which ranks tied for the second-longest in team history (Greg Porter 2009 and Jorge Delgado 2010). The team record is held by Josh Horn, who hit safely in 20 consecutive games from August 29th, 2009 through June 5th, 2010. Nieves finished second in the Frontier League in batting average last year, hitting .320 for the Joliet Slammers. On May 27th vs. Amarillo, Nieves picked up the 500th hit of his eight-year professional career. Nieves reached the Triple-A level three times with the Los Angeles Angels' organization.

KHOURY SETTING THE TABLE: Wingnuts' shortstop Ryan Khoury has reached base in 42 of 47 games this season with a hit, walk, or hit by pitch. Khoury reached base in 87 of 100 games in 2012, and was named the American Association's Defensive Player of the Year. Khoury also ranked in the top-four in the league in runs scored, walks, and stolen bases. On June 26th vs. Laredo, Khoury missed his first game since joining the Wingnuts last year. Including the postseason, Khoury had started 145 consecutive games both at shortstop and in the leadoff spot, and had missed just five total innings in the field during that stretch. Prior to June 26th, the last time a Wingnuts' player other than Khoury started at shortstop was September 4th, 2011 when Josh Horn started in Game Four of the Division Series vs. Grand Prairie. Jimmy Mojica was the last Wingnuts' player to bat leadoff, which was also on September 4th, 2011.

ZIEGLER CLEANING THE TABLE: Wichita Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler ranks first in the American Association in both home runs (16) and RBI (52). Ziegler tied a Wingnuts' single-game record with seven RBI on June 24th vs. Laredo. Last season, Ziegler ranked tied for third in the American Association with 18 home runs in just 58 games played. Ziegler has helped his team reach the playoffs in each of his first five professional seasons.

ZIEGLER NEW HOME RUN LEADER: Wingnuts' first baseman CJ Ziegler hit a solo home run on June 14th vs. St. Paul in the opener of a double header. It was Ziegler's ninth home run of 2013, and his 27th in a Wingnuts' uniform over the last two years, setting a new franchise record. Ryan Patterson (2010-11) held the previous record with 26 home runs.

TOUGH LOSSES: Of the Wingnuts' 18 losses this season, 11 have been by one run, two by two runs, and three by three runs. Wichita has held a lead at some point in 11 of their 18 losses.

BACK-TO-BACK: John Rodriguez and CJ Ziegler hit back-to-back home runs on consecutive pitches in the bottom of the third inning in game one of a double header on Friday, June 14th vs. St. Paul. It was the first time the Wingnuts hit back-to-back home runs since July 26th, 2011 when Josh Horn and Brent Clevlen did it vs. Fargo-Moorhead. Ziegler and Clevlen homered on back-to-back pitches on Monday, June 24th vs. Laredo.

GRAND SLAM TIME: On Tuesday, June 11th at Winnipeg, Abel Nieves hit the Wingnuts' first grand slam home run since August 27th, 2011 when Juan Richardson hit a bases loaded 'big fly' in a 19-2 rout at El Paso. Wichita hit .309 as a team with the bases loaded last year, and was hitting .400 with the sacks full going into June 11th of this season, but had gone 126 consecutive games without a grand slam. CJ Ziegler hit the Wingnuts' second grand slam of the season on June 28th vs. Sioux City.

PITCHING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank second in the American Association with a 3.34 team ERA. The Wingnuts ranked first in ERA in 2009 and 2010 while finishing third in 2011.

SWINGING STRONG: The Wingnuts rank second in the American Association with a .300 team batting average. Over the last two seasons, the Wingnuts have finished first and second respectively in the league batting race.

GLOVE WORK: The Wingnuts are tied for second in the American Association with a .979 fielding percentage. Wichita has led the league in defense in three of their first five years of existence (2008, 2009, 2012), and finished second in 2011. The Wingnuts hold the American Association record for team fielding percentage at .980, which they accomplished in both 2009 and 2012.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Wingnuts are 171-100 (.631) all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. It is the highest home winning percentage for any American Association team since the Wingnuts began play in 2008.

FRONT LINERS PROTECTING THE HOME FRONT: Third-year Wingnuts' starter Ryan Hinson has excelled when pitching at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium. Including the postseason, Hinson is 18-7 with a 2.84 ERA (62 ER, 196.1 IP) over 29 starts and two relief appearances. Junior Guerra-who is in his second overall season with the Wingnuts-is 9-2 with a 3.03 ERA (37 ER, 110.0 IP) all-time at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium in 16 starts.

ALL HE DOES IS WIN: Wingnuts' fifth-year manager Kevin Hooper is 252-188 (.573) since taking over in 2009. Hooper has guided the Wingnuts to four consecutive winning seasons, as well as three playoff berths. Hooper's .573 winning percentage is the second highest among American Association managers over the last five years. His 252 wins also rank second during that stretch. Hooper was a member of a team that made the playoffs in eight different seasons over his 10-year playing career. Hooper was also a member of Wichita State University's College World Series team in 1996. The Shockers reached the NCAA tournament in all four of Hooper's collegiate seasons, and posted a composite .815 winning percentage.

ALUMNI REPORT: RHP Matt Nevarez (2011-12) has a 2.31 ERA for the Double-A Southern League's Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay) with 13 strikeouts in 11.2 IP. RHP James Hoyt (2012) was recently promoted to the Double-A Southern League's Mississippi Braves (Atlanta) and has a 2.16 ERA with nine strikeouts in 8.1 IP. Hoyt posted a 4.89 ERA with 72 strikeouts in just 49.2 IP earlier this year for the High-A Carolina League's Lynchburg Hillcats. LHP and Wingnuts' co-owner Nate Robertson (2012) has a 3.06 ERA in 35.1 IP for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League's Round Rock Express (Texas). RHP Jon Link was purchased by the Detroit Tigers in June 19th and is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA in three starts for the Double-A Eastern League's Erie SeaWolves.

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